Flushing cistern



March 24, 1953 J. PEGLER 2,632,130

FLUSHING CISTERN Filed March 27, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 IT I! l/Illl/inventor e]. L. Peylep JIM Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,632,180 FLUSHING cis'r'iiRN Joseph Leslie Pegler, Beecroft,near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, assignor to Lockair ltyLimited; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a corporation of New SouthWales Application March '27, 1951, se ial No. 217,707 In AustraliaDecember 15; 1950 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to cisterns of the type that are adopted for theflushing of water closets and the like.

The modern trend is to adopt cisterns of the low-level type; that is tosay the kind which can be installed conveniently just above and to therear or side of the toilet bowl; Such a location has the advantage thatthey can be attended to conveniently when any adjustment is necessary;it effects a saving in the length of piping for feed ing flushing anddraining purposes, and at the same time allows of a cistern being letinto the wall of the closet at a convenient height.

These low-level cisterns are usually operated by a short hand lever, orthe like, but some of the better class cisterns are operated by apushbutton set in the wall of the closet close to the toilet bowl.

The present invention has reference more particularly to low-levelcisterns of the type operated by a push-button though it is applicablealso to cisterns of the overhead type operated by such means; and insome cases the cistern may be perated by a hand controlled valve insteadof a push-button. 4

Primarily the invention aims at providing a flushing unit which can befitted into a reservoir intended for an overhead or low-level cisternand which, if desired can be substituted for the existing flushingmeans, should such means prove unsatisfactory in use,

According to a preferred practical application of the invention assuitable for an overhead or low-level cistern of the push-button typethe aforesaid unit comprises, in the main a flushingbell intended to besupported over the orifice in a discharge fitting in the floor of thereservoir, a float-valve movable Within said bell and designed to keepsaid orifice normally closed; and, exteriorly of said bell and incommunication therewith, means for providing a water-seal, means forreforming said water-seal after each flushing operation, and means forinitiating said flushing operation. 7 g H In order howeverthat theinvention may be fully understood and readily carried into practicaleffect reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal vertical section of a cistern embodyingthe improved flushing unit in its preferred form and as arranged foroperation by a push-button; A

Figure 2 shows a sectional plan of the outlet fitting of the cistern,taken on the horizontal plane 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section 2 of the flushing unitappearing in Figure 1, the float-valve therein being illustrated inelevetion.

The cistern illustrated is suitable for installation at either a high orlow level;

The flushing-bell It) can consist of a device much in the form of aninverted cylindrical canister, and in the example illustrated issupported by arms ll cast integral with the discharge fitting l2. Theflushing-bell I0 is thus held with its mouth I3 a little above the fioorof the reservoir M. The discharge fitting I2 is secured in said floor bymeans of nut 15, a resilient washer It being interposed between flangell of the discharge fitting l2 and the floor of the revervoir It.

Alternatively, in an arrangement not illustrated, the flushing-bell I0could be supported by feet designed to stand upon and be secured to thefloor of the reservoir I4, or said flushing-bell I0 could have aplurality of relatively large apertures formed in its wall near to itsmouth l3 and have the rim of its mouth l3 afiixed to the floor of thereservoir l4;

One or more air admitting holes I8 (Figure 3) are provided near themouth l3 of the flushingbell l 0 to facilitate operation of theflushing-unit in a manner clear from the following description.

Within the flushing-bell I0 is a float-valve 19 which can be inthe formofan airtight canister loaded with ballast of any convenient type, orsufficiently heavy initself, and this float-valve I9 has ailixed to itsbottom a valve head 26 intended normally to be held closely on seat 24of the discharge fitting I2 under weight of the fioatvalve I9, there toeffectively prevent contents of the reservoir I 4 from flowing down saidfitting until flushing is implemented. 7

Exteriorly of the flushing-bell [0 there is a twopart cup 22constituting a receptacle 23 and a compartment 24 (see Figure 3). Thiscompartment 24 is placed in communication with the upper regions of theflushing-hen It by means of a tube 25. The compartment 24 is also incommunication with limb zli of a vertical U tube 27 the other limb 28 ofwhich terminates at or about the normal water level in the reservoir M,which level is indicated by the broken line 29 in Figure 1.

Also in communication with the compartment 24 there is a vertical tube30 which depends almost to the bottom of reservoir l4 and is thereclosed. Within this tube 30' there is a refilling tube 3| which extendsfromthereceptacle 23 to the lower precincts of tube 30. This tube 3!]together with receptacle 23 serves as a trap to retain suificient waterto re-establisli a water-seal in the U tube 21 after each flushingoperation.

The limb 28 of U tube 21 preferably has a crimped wire 32 in it. Inpractice it has been found that such a wire will prevent the formationof an air lock in limb 28. Connected to limb 28 there is a tube 33 whichextends upwards and over or through the wall of reservoir [4 from whichit is led downwards to a wall-fitting (see Figure 1) including apush-button 3d and diaphragm 35 as provided in existing installations orthe push-button type.

It has also been found in practice that the presence of a smallbleed-hole (not shown) in limb 28 just below the maximum water level inreservoir it, tends to facilitate operation of the invention.

Filling of the cistern is preferably under control of a ball-float valveof the usual type and not indicated in the accompanying drawings.

Operation of the invention When first installed it is necessary to forma water-seal in the U tube 27 and to fill the trap, constituted by thevertical tube 30 and the receptacle 23, by priming the refilling tubethrough the medium of receptacle 23. When this has been done the cisternis ready for operation.

As water enters the reservoir [4 through the usual float-controlledvalve (not indicated) it the watercompresses air in the flushing-bell lwhile float-valve l9 remains seated under its own weight.

The water, continuing to rise in reservoir It, then completely fillsreceptacle 23 and ultimately reaches the maximum level determined by theaforesaid usual float-controlled valve.

While the water is rising in reservoir [4 and compressing air in theflushing-bell (0 it necessarily depresses the column of water in limb 26of U tube 21. This means that a column of water is forced upward in limb28 of U tube 27.

Now when diaphragm 35 is pressed inwards under pressure of push-button34 it forces water out of tube 33 into limb 23 of U tube 21 causing thelevel of water in limb 28 to rise. Some of this water will be ejectedinto reservoir I4 through the extremity of limb 2S.

Immediately pressure on push-button 34 is released water will be suckedinto tube 33 and consequently the level of water in limb 28 of U tube 21would tend to drop slightly. As soon as this occurs the main body ofwater in the reservoir M will exert its superior force and, through themedium of air compressed in flushing-bell IE will eject water from the Utube 21 into reservoir This allows air entrapped in flushing-bell I4 topass down through tube 25, through compartment 24 and thence down limb26 and up through limb 28 to atmosphere, forcing water in U tube 21ahead of it. As the air entrapped in flushingbell [0 thus escapes waterwill rise rapidly in said bell, lift float-valve 19 from its seat 2| andallow the main body of water in reservoir M to flow throughdischarge-fitting 52 say to a sanitary bowl below.

As the level of water receding in reservoir [4 approaches the mouth I3of flushing-bell I!) air forces its way through holes l8 and rising tothe upper precincts of the bell H3 allows the water to be dischargedtherefrom.

Concurrently with the flushing operation, as just explained, water inthe receptacle 23 will fiow down refilling tube SI and then up throughtube 30 into compartment 24 of cup 22, and from there it will flowdownwards again into U tube 2'! thus re-establishing the water-sealtherein in readiness for a subsequent flushing operation.

In an alternative construction of the improved flushing unit (notillustrated) the cup 22 may be arranged in limb 28 of U tube 21. In thisalternative form there would be a bleed-hole in limb 28 in the lowerregions of cup 22 and another bleed-hole in limb 28 just below thebottom of the cup. This alternative construction would allow therefilling tube 3| and tube 30 to be dispensed with.

Also in some cases the push-button 34 with its diaphragm 35 andassociated pipe 33, together with the refilling and sealing means couldbe eliminated by fitting a small control cock on the upper extremity ofa tube communicating with the upper regions of the flushing-bell I0.

I claim:

1. A flushing unit for water closets and the like comprising a dischargefitting intended to be secured in the floor of the reservoir of acistern, a flushing-bell supported over said discharge fitting, afloat-valve within said flushing-bell and arranged normally to preventthe passage of water through said discharge fitting, a cup supportedexteriorly of said flushing-bell and comprising a receptacle with acompartment below, a pipe establishing communication between saidcompartment and the upper precincts of said flushing-bell, a U tubehaving one limb in communication with said compartment and its otherlimb projecting above the mouth of said cup, and means for breaking saidwater seal by expelling water from said other limb.

2. A flushing unit for water closets and the like as claimed in claim 1characterised in that said cup is constructed in two separable parts,the upper of which constitutes said receptacle.

3. In a flushing unit for the cisterns of water closets and the likewherein air entrapped in a bell over a discharge fitting in said cisternis prevented from escaping by a water-seal established exteriorly ofsaid cistern, means in the form of a receptacle and two concentricallymounted vertical tubes for entrapping sufiicient water to re-establishsaid water seal after each flushin operation.

A flushing unit for water closets and the like comprising a dischargefitting intended to be secured in the floor of the reservoir of acistern, a flushing-bell supported by and over said discharge fitting, aweighted float-valve within said flushing-bell and arranged normally toprevent the passage of water through said discharge fitting, a primingcup supported exteriorly of said flushing-bell and comprising areceptacle with a compartment below, a pipe establishing communicationbetween said compartment and the upper precincts of said flushing-bell,a U tube having one limb in communication with said compartment and itsother limb projecting above the mouth of said cup, means depending fromsaid cup for providing a water seal in said U tube, and a push-buttonand diaphragm exteriorly of said reservoir in combination with a tubeconnected to said other limb for expelling water from said other limband thereby breaking the water seal in said U tube.

5. In a flushing unit for water closets, as claimed in claim 4, acrimped wire in said other limb of said U tube to prevent the formationof an air lock therein.

6. In a flushing unit for the cisterns of water closets and the like, asingle flushing-bell supported over a discharge fitting in said cistern,9.

float-valve contained within said flushing-bell and arranged normally toclose said discharge fitting, a water-seal including a priming cupsupported exteriorly of said flushing-bell to prevent escape of air fromthe latter, said priming cup having a lower compartment in communicationwith the upper precincts of said flushing-bell and means forre-establishing said water seal automatically after each flushinoperation.

7. A flushing unit for water closets and the like comprising a dischargefitting intended to be secured in the floor of the reservoir of asystem, a flushing-bell supported over said discharge fitting, afloat-valve Within said flushing-bell and arranged normally to preventthe passage of water through said discharge fitting, a cup supportedexteriorly of said flushing-bell and comprising a receptacle with acompartment below, said cup being constructed of two separable parts theupper part of which constitutes the receptacle while the lower partcooperates with the bottom of the first part to provide the compartment,a pipe establishing communication between said compartment and the upperprecincts of said flushing-bell, a U tube having one limb in com-REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 926,155 Walls June 29, 1909FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 356,069 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1931364,292 Italy Oct. 27, 1938

